We are devastated by the tragic and senseless mass shootings on Saturday in Monterey Park and on Monday in Half Moon Bay. During what should have been a time of celebration and peace, the arrival of the Lunar New Year, we are instead facing one incomprehensible tragedy following closely upon another. The impacts of these incidents are profound, affecting Asian American communities far and wide along with our communities and neighbors close to home. These tragedies should instigate a reckoning with our country’s epidemic of gun violence and lead to real action. Until then, we mourn for all those lost, uplift our voices to support those impacted, and remain in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander friends, families, and colleagues, the communities of Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, and all others affected by gun violence.
Regardless of the motivations of the perpetrators of these horrific incidents, it is important to acknowledge that our AAPI community members experienced the past few days’ events in a context of rising anti-Asian hate spurred by voices of intolerance and division. In Monterey Park, in Half Moon Bay, and everywhere else in our state and country, AAPI community members are an essential part of the fabric that unites us. We must come together in the face of such tragedies, lift each other up through the trauma, and repudiate acts of terror that seek to divide us.
If you are feeling the impact of these or related events, please do not hesitate to reach out to campus services for support. Counseling and Psychological Services provides assistance for students. Our Employee Assistance Program offers counseling and support to employees. Our Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center is another place where students, faculty, and staff can find support and resources.
